About A Boy
by AxelCat
Summary: Popular!Blaine and Nerd!Kurt meet in a corridor... it's love at first sight, of course. Love comes with fear, though, fear comes with hate, and with all of them comes passion: With passion? Comes music. Blaine/Kurt endgame, Blaine/Quinn midgame.
1. Chapter 1

_This one goes out especially to Clearly Puppy Love :) I love you all a lot, merry Christmas. This will be uploaded in chapters over the course of January, and should be finished quite soon!_

You know those people that just take your breath away? The ones that make butterflies soar in your stomach? It's nothing sexual, nothing scandalous, just a moment when you see that person, and you want to be with them. Blaine Anderson was one of those people.

With soft curls that fell just past his ears, sparkling golden-hazel eyes and a neat, masculine build, not to mention the smile of a Hollywood-star, he was the angel of the school - every girl would tell you that... and, quietly as he might, one Kurt Hummel would, too.

Kurt was a stereotypical angel, when it came to his looks, but, unlike Blaine, who wore his tight-fitting jeans and letterman jacket with pride, Kurt hid his looks behind fluffy jumpers, button-down shirts and rectangular glasses. He was almost always huddled up, looking down, and trying not to meet people's eyes. He was a shy and sweet boy, with a witty edge and a tongue sharper than razors, when needed. He was often found biting his lip, just trying to keep a (well-meant) sarcastic joke in his mouth.

There's something that everyone knew about Kurt, though. Something that kept him on his toes, every minute of every day, just trying to stay out of harm's way.

"Watch it, fag!" There was a slam as Kurt hit the locker, and a squeak as he slid down the metal wall.

The brunette's heart raced, and blood rushed in his ears as his back throbbed with the pain of hitting a lock. "Nice one, man!" The overweight boy's hand hit the black man's up in the air. "Faggot." That was thrown back over his shoulder at the small boy, just before a wad of spit hit his cheek. Kurt sighed as the familiar sensation of warm stickiness trickled down his forehead. He sighed once more when he heard the stream of insults being shot at him. This was the routine. Every single day.

"Hey! What the hell was that?"

"What's up, Anderson?" David Karofsky drawled out.

"What the hell was that?" 'Anderson' repeated. "What did you just do to him? Actually, no, I saw, why the hell did you do that to him?" he asked. Kurt saw a blurry figure kneel next to him.

The figure offered him a hand. "Hey, fluffy-jumper-boy," it said with what looked like a smile. "You need a hand up?" Kurt's head unclouded a little, and he bit his lip.

"No, thank you, I'm fine," he said, prim and proper. He stood up just as the other boy did, and their heads bashed together. They both made sounds that were approximately like grunts, and Kurt whimpered again before adjusting his glasses. Then? He looked up, and his eyes locked onto the most amazing orbs of light and colour he had ever seen. He bit his lower lip until it bled, as his heart raced in his chest and blood rushed in his ears. Little known to him, Anderson was in exactly the same situation.

"Excuse me, then." Anderson walked up to Karofsky and Azimio Adams, his fists clenched tight. "I want you to apologize to him. For calling him that, and for shoving him."

Karofsky laughed, short and abrupt. "Oh yeah? Why would you want that, Blainey-boy?"

"Because it's morally wrong of you to shove an innocent boy, with the potential of breaking his ribs, or even his spine!" Blaine cried. "You go over to him and apologize right now, or I will gladly tell the principal about what you've done!"

"Yes, and if you do, we'll 'gladly' make your life here a living hell."

"I'd like to see you try," said Blaine with his arms crossed and his brow furrowed. Kurt could barely see what happened - he was frozen with shock, but suddenly, Blaine was on the floor, and the whole corridor was just as frozen as Kurt had been, but as soon as soon as that boy hit the floor, Kurt was at his side.

"Oh my god, you idiot," he whispered, pulling Blaine into his arms and up. The boy was shaking, obviously dizzy. The skin around his eye was bright red, and there was some blood on his cheek. Kurt looked around quickly, trying to find a friendly face. He found none. "What are you all staring at, huh?" he yelled to the watching students. "Carry on with your pointless lives, why don't you?" A few of them were shocked, a few were angry... but they all obeyed. They just turned back around and continued the ways they had been heading. "I'm going to take you to the nurse. Blaine, is it?"

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm Blaine... not the nurse. Just... need to wash m-my eye out. I don't know where the bathrooms are, can you take me?" Kurt tried not to look into those imploring, gorgeous eyes. He just nodded, and threw Blaine's arm over his shoulder. He stumbled a little at first, but quickly fell into step with Blaine almost-drunkenly walking along beside him. All the while he avoided his eyes. "Your eyes are really pretty. But you won't look at me. I know I just met you and I still don't know your name but you're the prettiest boy I've ever seen in my life. I really think I love you. Wow, I'm really stupid, aren't I?" Blaine asked. He didn't seem to realize how much Kurt was blushing. "Please say something."

"Kurt. My name's 'Kurt,'" the brunette boy whispered as he led Blaine into the disabled bathroom. "Sit down, Blaine, it'll be okay. I'll wash your eye out, okay? Then you'll realize how silly you are, hit me and run off, and that will be fine." He was quiet and shy, blushing the whole time as he rinsed Blaine's reddened eye out with water. "I might have some bruise cream in my bag, if you'll just stay here for a few minutes...?"

Blaine gripped onto his hand. "There's bruise cream in my bag. Just... here..." He fumbled with the straps of his bag, biting his lip, until Kurt's hands covered his and removed them.

"Let me get it, silly. Your depth perception is messed up. Did I mention how much of an idiot you are for saying that to them? They looked ready to kill you... and it was just a locker shove. Really, I don't deserve... I don't need... I don't need to be defended, no matter how knightly it is of you," he murmured as he applied the arnica. "You're very sweet, you know that? But I never, ever want to see you fighting with them again. Especially not on my behalf."

He slid his fingers in between the gaps of Blaine's, and squeezed very gently. "All done." He smiled at the boy, finally letting their eyes meet. "Come on. I'm... I'm so sorry, by the way. And thank you. And I'm sorry, and no-one's ever done something so good for me." He stood up straight and helped Blaine to his feet. "I'll see you around, okay? Don't... don't associate with me, it's a death-sentence. But... I really think I love you, too."

Blaine looked into his eyes, just for a moment, before looking down. "Thanks..." He bit the inside of his lip, and stepped out of the bathroom. "fag."

He walked away just as Kurt closed the door again, and slumped down against the wall, sobbing.


	2. Chapter 2

Over the next week, Blaine built himself up the social pyramid. He found a position on the football team as the kicker, his small build and agile body perfect for the job. He reconciled with Azimio and Karofsky, with a loud, 'just leave the fag alone, okay? He's my cousin, and I may hate him, but he's family.' The two boys just laughed and knuckled the sides of his head. Karofsky still snarled, though. 'No promises, man. Sorry about your eye, but I did you a favour: the girls love guys with bruises.'

Blaine just gulped.

So, everyday, he had to watch Kurt getting slammed into lockers and have ice-cold drinks thrown in his face, and he couldn't do anything about it... well. He could, but his self-preservation instincts knew better than to let him try. "So, Anderson... I heard Fabray's got a thing for you," said one Noah Puckerman.

Blaine hummed. "Oh yeah? The pretty blonde one? The cheerleader?"

"That's the one. She wants you to ask her out for Valentine's... and... just between you and me, bro-to-bro, she loves dudes who sing. It got me a date or two, have to say."

Blaine just raised his eyebrows and motioned for Puck to continue. "Look, man, I'll be honest: Mister Schue -Spanish, history and Glee teacher, curly hair, stupid face - desperately needs more guys for glee, and he's sort of relying on me to get someone higher up in. If you joined, with me, Quinn, Britt and San there, people'll stop judging us based on Hummel and Abrahms." Puck sighed and leaned back, offering Blaine a swig of his Cola. Blaine shook his head, with a quiet 'thanks.'

"Who're Hummel and Abrahms?"

"The only two other guys in Glee. Artie Abrahms is the kid in the wheelchair. Okay voice, great rapper... Kurt Hummel's the gay one in glasses. He's okay. Amazing fucking voice, but he doesn't talk enough for me to know anything about him but for the fact that he's a fag. Anyway, though, don't worry about them: Three hottest chicks in the school are in there, along with some black girl - Mercedes - and a stutterer - Tina. I'm working on getting Mike, Jake - my little brother - and Matt in, just to keep Schue from failing me on Spanish, so, yeah, he's an arse, but I'll do whatever it takes at this point. So, you in? Oh, it doesn't really matter if you sing... just thought it'd help with the Quinn thing." Blaine was silent. "Anderson! You in?"

The teenager smiled. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm in."

A Boy.O

Puck led Mike, Matt, Jake and Blaine into the choir room with a huge grin on his face. "Mister Schue, chicks and homos-" Artie began to protest, but Mercedes rest a hand on his shoulder and quietened him. "-this is Mike, Matt, ma little brother Jake, and the new kid, Blaine. They're here to sing, dance, act, whatever. They're better than most of you, so give them the respect they deserve!" Puck was grinning broadly.

"Great, Noah," said the teacher. "Why don't you all take a seat? I'll run you through what goes on in here. First of all, this is Quinn, Brittany and Santana. This is Artie, Mercedes and Tina, and this here is Kurt. You obviously know Puck... Quinn and Brittany are our altos-" Blaine took a seat behind Kurt, resting a hand on his shoulder.

"Hey, Kurt." The boy just shrugged him off, eyes lowered and hidden by his glasses.

"-Santana and Mercedes are our sopranos, Puck and Artie are our tenors, and Kurt is our one and only countertenor! Do any of you know what you are?" he asked with a friendly smile.

Blaine remained silent for a few moments, then raised his head to meet Schuester's eyes. "I think I'm a tenor. I may be wrong, though..."

"Well, Blaine, why don't you sing something for us? I can tell you."

Blaine breathed in deeply, trying to think of an appropriate song. "This is a bit higher than the original, but..." He held back his butterflies and nausea, and began to sing. "Maybe I'm brainless, maybe I'm wise... but you've got me seeing through different eyes..." Kurt looked up at him with _widened _eyes. "Somehow I've fallen under your spell, and somehow I'm feeling the song that I fell - so for every moment... as long as you're mine, I'll wake up my body, and make up for lost time! Say there's no future for us as a pair - I know, I may know, I don't care! Just for this moment... as long as you're mine..." He swore at himself for forgetting the lyrics, but still continued, shaking a little. Both Quinn and Kurt seemed very shocked, but very pleased.

Mercedes was the one who began the clapping, then Artie, Tina, and the Cheerios joined in - the other boys came last, only to Kurt. "Well then, Blaine! I can tell you that you are most definitely a tenor - an amazing tenor, I must say!" Mister Schuester cried. "So, as I was saying: Every week, I'll give you an assignment, and on one of our three days - Monday, Wednesday and Friday - you each get to perform something. A song, a dance, or a monologue! Group numbers or duets are counted, as well, of course! But, if you ever have any songs you would like to sing outside of the assignment, then that's fine, too." Mister Schuester began to ramble on about the importance of teamwork, and Kurt leaned back to whisper to Blaine,

"You know 'Wicked?'" he asked incredulously.

"Of course I do," Blaine said with a small snort. "Look, I want to apologize... I didn't mean what I said-" Kurt tensed. "-I meant about you being a fag! I didn't mean that... I meant the other stuff, though, I mean... I should just shut up."

"Yes, you should." Kurt gave him a small smile and turned back to Mister Schuester. "Mister Schue? Just to show the boys how things work around here, could I sing something? The band and I have been working on it for a while now, and I'd love to show it to you," he said, shy and quiet as ever. Nothing like how he was with Blaine.

"That would be great, Kurt! What song?"

"My favourite Adam Lambert song - 'Whatya Want From Me?' Bass, drums, you can sit this one out, if you don't mind..."

The band in the corner mumbled a little, before an acoustic guitarist stood, and the pianist began to count him in. Kurt stood and slid down to the performance space, just as Mister Schuester took a seat.

His performance was... breath-taking. His voice was pure and crystalline, and his emotions were spread out in front of him for the world to see - or more, to hear. Blaine was the first to start clapping as the song came to an end. Everyone was cheering - making enough noise for a much larger audience.

"Excellent, Kurt! That's what I'm talking about! Now, the overall theme for this year is 'truth.' This week's theme, however, is 'firsts.' First kisses, first words, first child... anything. So... for today... class dismissed!"

Blaine rest a hand on Kurt's shoulder, almost making him jump. "K-Kurt, can I talk to you?"

"Don't you listen?" the brunette hissed, looking so fiery, so passionate, and so confused, that Blaine was taken aback. "figure out what the hell it is you want from me. One minute you're telling me you might be in love with me - a boy you didn't even know the name of - and the next you're calling me a 'fag!' You're the new, upcoming Mister Popular. I'm the school gay. We're not compatible unless you really meant what you said, so, please, just leave me alone!" He huffed, adjusted his glasses, and left without giving Blaine a chance to reply.

Blaine was left _gaping_.


	3. Chapter 3

On Tuesday, Kurt felt a soft hand envelop his and a slip of paper sliding between his fingers as he walked down the hall. Before he could react, or even flinch, the hand was gone, and so were the butterflies in his stomach. He spun on his heels to see a retreating figure with cropped curly hair. He bit his lower lip yet again and, shaking, looked at the piece of paper. '_I know exactly what I meant, and I really meant it.' _

Kurt slid the paper into his pocket with a small smile. Blaine was cute, that was for sure. Sweet? Definitely. Confused? Even more definitely. Kurt wasn't going to be his high-school experiment of 'Homosexuality.' Either Blaine was willing to be an all-around good person to him, and perhaps have a chance of being his boyfriend, or he was just as he came off: a confused, self-centred boy who didn't know what he wanted, that could never be compatible with Kurt.

On Wednesday, when he opened his locker, he found another note in that same neat handwriting. '_Your eyes are quite possibly the most beautiful things I've ever seen.'_Kurt blushed a little, adjusted the position of his glasses, and straightened his bow-tie. "Blaine Anderson," he whispered. "You will be the death of me." That was when he was shoved forwards into his locker, head hitting the edge painfully hard.

He heard the familiar cackles of Karofsky and Azimio, and touched his nose, where blood was dripping rather quickly. He felt a hand on his shoulder. "Come on," said Blaine, careful not to touch him, careful not to look up, but guiding him to the nurse's office none-the-less. As soon as they got there, Blaine found the tissues and twined his fingers in with Kurt's."I tried to stop them, I swear, but they... they really hate you, Kurt," he said as he dabbed Kurt's nose with a tissue.

The brunette boy just stayed silent, trying to see if blood had gotten on his favourite pastel-pink vest. His heart was racing, yet again, and butterflies swam in his stomach as Blaine's thumb stroked his knuckles. It was stupid - love at first sight didn't exist, but he was most certainly, at _least, _infatuated with him. It was crazy as could be. How could one boy do this to him? Turn him into a blushing, silent mess? "Please say something," Blaine pleaded yet again.

"If you're... if you like me so much, why did you call me that?" Kurt whispered. The jock stepped back as the nurse came to them, but didn't let go of his hand.

"Hi, Mrs Schuester, could you give us an icepack, please? Kurt hit his head on the edge of a locker," Blaine said in the most charming way he could. The blonde woman fluttered her eyelashes at him and nodded.

"Of course, dear. You two are in my husband's Glee club, aren't you?" she asked, sweet as could be. She fumbled a lot as she pulled the icepack from the freezer, but still, she retrieved it and handed it to Kurt. Kurt whispered his thanks, and pressed the pack to his forehead. He winced - it was freezing, of course, but it would be worth it.

"Yes, ma'am... Do you mind me asking how far along you are?"

"I'm two months in, thank you for asking! Mister Schuester and I have a feeling that it's a boy." She winked and giggled. "If you two would like, you can stay here for the next period or so... between us, I know how much school can suck. Right?"

"Right," Blaine said with a sneaky smile. He was playing along with her perfectly, twisting her around his little finger. "Thank you, Mrs Schue."

"Of course, dear!" She winked at them again and shuffled away into the side-room, where she had her laptop opened to eBay.

Kurt waited a few moments before sitting down on the edge of the bed, indicating for Blaine for to join him. "Are you... why would you say such nice things only to turn around and call me a 'f-fag?'" he asked, quiet as a mouse. "You said... you said it was 'love at first sight,' pretty much. And then three minutes later you're using a derogatory term against those of the L.G.B.T. community. Then you're on the football team and Mister Popular, and then you're in Glee and singing 'Wicked!' Please just... be clear with me. No-one's ever... been so nice to me, and that's saying a lot, considering you called me that."

Blaine sat down next to him and retwined their fingers. "I think you're the most beautiful person on the face of the planet, and I could... I've never been in love before. But I think this is it."

"'Love...' you don't even know me. You just know I'm a nerdy fag in Glee club who likes Wicked, and no-one could love that." Kurt shivered as Blaine's hand touched his cheek.

"I don't care," he whispered. "I think you're talented, and beautiful, and intelligent and kind." Their faces were moving closer and closer.

"Pick-up lines don't work on me," Kurt lied, breathless as could be.

Blaine pushed a strand of his hair back from his forehead "I'm not trying to pick you up, Kurt," he reminded him. "That would mean leaving you in the end... I just want to be with you..."

Kurt whimpered and, cheesy as it was, slid off his glasses and rest them on the edge of the bed. "Then be with me," he ordered. Blaine was shaking, too, as he moved in to, as slowly as possible, press their lips together. It was just like magic running through their bodies. Their lips tingled, their bodies froze, their fingers tightened around the others'. It was the most precious experience that Kurt had ever had. Their noses brushed as they drew apart. "That was-"

"My first kiss," Blaine finished with the softest of smiles. He caressed Kurt's cheek and slotted their lips together once more, just gently. "I have to go. I have advanced math, and my dad will kill me if I miss a class... but I'll see you soon." He kissed Kurt's eyelid, making him giggle. "And hug you soon." He squeezed his fingers. "And kiss you soon." Their lips met in between them, both laughing breathlessly.

"In Glee?"

"In Glee," Blaine assured him with yet another kiss. He wasn't getting sick of _that_ any time soon.

* * *

Blaine and Kurt turned up late to Glee, after stealing kisses rather sneakily in abandoned classrooms on their way. They didn't know what they were doing - they were sixteen, for heaven's sake! They did, however, know that they could not get sick of kissing, touching, or even just looking and knowing that the person they wanted, wanted them, too. It was a crazy day, full of looks across the corridors and hands gripping together, for just a few moments, in classes as they passed each other by.

"Blaine, here, sit with us," said Quinn in her sweetest tone. She indicated the seat next to her, which Blaine knew Brittany had previously occupied, and winked at him. The young jock, however, just shook his head and took a seat next to Kurt, who blushed happily as Blaine draped an arm across the back of his chair. He didn't really know what to do - he wanted to lean into Blaine - rest his head on his shoulder, cuddle up to him, place his head in his lap... but even he wasn't naive enough to expect _anyone_ in the room to be comfortable with that.

"Hey, stranger," Blaine murmured, close to his ear and teasing as could be. He tensed as Puck and the rest of the football players came into the room, and withdrew his arm, but in the same motion, slid Kurt's hand down in between their chairs to rest their palms together. The brunette boy bit the inside of his lip and took his glasses off with one hand, examining the dirt on the lenses. Honestly he only needed them for reading, but he liked to hide behind them, just like he hid behind his fluffy jumpers and bow-ties. He placed them back on the bridge of his nose, and sighed a little, leaning in closer to Blaine, who tentatively wound their fingers together.

Quinn looked down as soon as Kurt took his glasses off, to see the two boys' hands becoming twined. She smirked. '_Perfect. I don't like it when people play with my things.'_

* * *

"Okay... we've got uneven numbers. There's two too many boys..." Mister Schuester's brow furrowed, and he looked around the group. "I'm sorry, but two of you may have to sit this one out, or dance alone... I can't imagine any of you wanting to dance with each other..."

Blaine shrugged and raised his hand. "I'm game to dance with another guy, if he is." His thumb was stroking over the back of Kurt's hand.

"No way, dude... no homo," said Puck.

"No homo!" echoed Jake.

Kurt was shaking all over. "I'll do it," he murmured.

"Ooh, Hummel's got a crush," said Matt, who got the rest of the boys involved in his 'ooh'ing. The little brunette boy 'hmph'ed and crossed his arms over his chest. Blaine frowned and blushed red, looking down and feeling immensely uncomfortable.

"Dude, they're cousins! That's sick!" Ah, Noah Puckerman to the rescue.

"That really is gross, guys..." said Blaine, looking up with a cocked eyebrow. "My little cousin Kurty." He ruffled the boy's hair, and immediately got shoved away.

"Touch my hair again and I will kill you, minuscule cousin Blainey," he said in the most cordial tone he could. There was a chorus of 'ooh's from the girls.

"You've been told, boyo," said Mercedes through a throaty laugh.

Mister Schuester coughed. "Well then. The charming cousins will be dancing together."

"How quaint," quipped Santana. Kurt's face seemed to be permanently dyed pretty pink. "Who's leading? The girl or the hobbit?"

"Enough, Santana!"

The girl held up her hands defensively and shook her head. "Just asking the obvious questions."

"Well keep the 'obvious questions' to yourself," the teacher ordered.

"Fine!"

The rest of that afternoon was spent dancing around each other, quite literally, exchanging shy looks and brushes of the hands. It was as close to perfect as Kurt had ever expected to feel.

* * *

The next morning the note in Kurt's locker was stuck to the door, and the handwriting was shaky and messy - it looked rushed, for lack of a better term. '_I'm completely yours at heart. Love, B.A.'_Kurt's cheeks became bright red, and, immediately, he tucked the note into his breast pocket, close to his heart. He just held onto the feeling for a few minutes - that feeling of being completely perfect, or of being in complete bliss. He was brought out of his trance by Jacob Ben Israel, school journalist and reporter's, voice.

"Mister Anderson, Miss Fabray! Can you offer any comment on how you feel about one another at this early stage in your relationship?"

Kurt froze .In that moment, he knew. He knew what was happening, and how the rest of his and Blaine's story was going to play out. "Well, Jacob, I can't say I know Quinn particularly well, yet, but we made a connection, and I know she's a beautiful, kind, and talented young woman, so for now, we're just seeing how things play out," said Blaine's voice. Kurt wasn't convinced it was Blaine. Not the real Blaine. Not sweet and flirtatious Blaine who kissed him after just a few days. This was a possessed Blaine - a 'possessed by social laws' Blaine. Or, maybe it was the other way around. Maybe flirtatious, sweet Blaine was just an act to fool Kurt into, well, making a fool of himself. Maybe this straight, put-together young man was exactly who Blaine was.

Either way, _Blaine _was the one who smashed Kurt's heart into hundreds of tiny, shining pieces.


	4. Chapter 4

Kurt didn't _have _friends. He had acquaintances, then he had enemies. That was it, really. Then he had his dad - his lonely, hard-working, absentee father. Burt Hummel had never recovered from his wife's death, and had never remarried. He was one of those people who would be completely friendly to you, but would, ultimately, be aloof and absent in the way he responded to the world around him. "Dad?"

Burt sighed quietly. "Yeah, kiddo?" he asked quietly, taking another mouthful of soup.

"Do you believe in love at first sight?" Kurt whispered.

Burt looked up. "Of course I do. I saw your mother and I knew I would never be able to look at another woman the same way that I had before again. Who is it, Kurt? A new girl, I take it?"

The brunette boy was taken aback and shook his head. "Daddy..." he whispered. He got to his feet and went around to his father's side of th table. He knelt down next to him. "I need to tell you something..."

"Kurt..." Burt looked hesitant. "What's wrong? What's going on?" He looked into his eyes and shook his head. He could feel his heart thumping in his chest. "Kurt, no... no, don't do this..."

Kurt looked close to crying. "Dad..." He took in a deep breath. "I'm gay." He expected silence. He didn't expect the sharp sound of flesh hitting flesh, nor did he expect the feeling of his _father's _hand hitting him harder than he had ever been hit before. His eyes set hard as stone. He didn't cry out. He didn't even cry. Because he knew exactly who his father was - he was just a grown-up version of David Karofsky - cold and heartless. He stood up just as the regret filled his father's eyes, just as he reached out to touch his son's bright red cheek. "Don't," he ordered.

"Kurt!"

"Don't touch me!" he yelled.

"Kurt, please... I'm sorry, I'm so sorry..." He reached out to touch Kurt's hand, but was slapped away.

"Touch me again, and I _will_ call the police." His voice was low with the threat, throaty and firm. "Don't try to stop me from leaving." He picked up his wallet from the kitchen table and slid it into his pocket, trying to ignore the burn in his cheek.

"When will you be back?" Burt whispered.

Kurt didn't look at him as he pulled his raincoat from the back of his chair onto his body. "I don't know."

So with that, he left. He had nothing but the clothes on his back, his phone, keys, iPod and wallet, but he had enough to live on, for at least a few days. That was what he needed. He knew his father hadn't meant to hit him, but that didn't mean that he hadn't been angry that his son was a 'fag,' as he was so often called.

He grimaced as the rain soaked through his hair and ran to his car, slipping inside without a second thought. He needed to be free of the world - free of the people who hated him so much.

O. About A Boy. O

"The usual, Kurt?" asked the waitress with a sweet smile. She was a pretty girl, no more than twenty, and very, very kind. She had deep brown skin and a thin, straight body, but the face of an absolute angel.

"Make it decaf for me, sweetie?" he asked. He smiled back at her, and she nodded with a little curtsy.

"Sure."

He placed a hand on her arm as she moved to walk away, "Cas-"

"What is it?"

"Do I... do you think it's wrong to be gay?"

She froze, but she didn't look away from his eyes. "No. But I think the world thinks it does. What happened, honey? You come in here with a red cheek, soaking wet at eleven at night... did...?"

"Nothing serious. But I thought it would be best if I... left my dad alone for a while," Kurt whispered. She kissed his forehead and ruffled his hair.

"I wouldn't have known. I know you're shy, and a bit nerdy, but..."

"You seem to be the only one who didn't guess."

"Well, I don't really think it's something to be cared about, so it makes sense that I didn't notice."

Kurt kissed her knuckles playfully. "Thank yo-"

"Kurt?" The brunette's heart _ached. _"Oh my God. Kurt." Blaine slid into the booth across from him and cupped his jaw in his hand. "What the hell happened? Was it Karofsky and Azimio? I'll _kill _them! How did they-?"

"Blaine," the brunette said flatly. Cas slipped away with a minx-like smile. "What are you doing here?"

"I-I came to get a cup of coffee... I wanted to get away form my parents nagging... I repeat: What happened?" Blaine caressed his un-marred cheek, and Kurt pulled back, heavy frown on his face.

"You slapped me in the face and cracked my ribs, crushed my lungs, and all the surrounding vitalities," he said, as if discussing the weather.

"Wh-what?"

Kurt sighed, the figure of agitation. "Quinn really is _very_ pretty, isn't she?" he asked, a bit sarcastic. "Eyes are the most beautiful things you've ever seen, right?"

Blaine visibly slumped, and moved to take Kurt's hand before thinking better of it. "I was _scared._ Mike knows, you know? He saw us in the nurse's office. And he... and he... he said he wanted to tell his priest - ask about it. His priest is my parent's priest. I can't... I couldn't..."

"He's blackmailing you?" Kurt asked incredulously.

"Yes!" Blaine paused. "No, not exactly, but in a way, yes!"

"You mean 'no.' You mean 'he said he was going to tell a priest, who is sworn to secrecy, that he saw two boys kissing without naming them, then, I immediately freaked out about my reputation and decided that it would be best to _hide_. Or maybe, I thought it would be best to stop toying with the faggy nerd because perhaps I'm a half-decent person.' That's it, isn't it? You just decided it would be best to stop playing with me? Before I... fell in love with you and 'converted and molested' you. Right?"

"Kurt, no!"

"Your drinks, sirs," said a waiter, placing two cups of coffee down in front of them. They smiled and thanked him in unison."

"Keep your voice down," Kurt whispered to Blaine. "Not everyone has the privilege of feeling safe all the time."

"Kurt, sweetheart..."

"Don't call me that! I'm not your sweetheart!" he hissed. "You think you matter to me? You think you're allowed to come in here and act as if I'm the one who's victimized you?"

"I think I do matter to you, and I think I hurt you, and I think I'm stupid for it! But it doesn't _matter, _because I don't... I don't feel anything for Quinn! I feel for _you_. She doesn't mean anything?"

"She'd slap you harder than 'you' slapped me if she heard you say that. She's head over heels for you-" Kurt took a sip of coffee, only to cough it out into a napkin. "-and that's yours." He pushed the coffee to Blaine, who took it with wide eyes.

"I didn't want to hurt you. I just wanted to be safe," he whimpered. "You have no idea how much you mean to me, you're the light at the end of the tunnel-"

"What's my favourite colour?" Kurt snapped.

"What?"

"What's _my favourite colour?"_

Blaine shook his head, almost bemused.

"What's my favourite musical?"

"Wicked."

"Wrong. What's my favourite song?"

Blaine bit the inside of his lip and shook his head again. "I don't know."

"The first thing that people learn about me is my favourite song, if we're introduced properly, which, obviously, we weren't." Blaine's head just kept moving. "Who am I named after?"

"K-Kurt Cobain?"

"Kurt Von Trappe."

"What's my... father's name?" Kurt sighed. "Burt. Where is my... mother?"

Blaine slid his hand into Kurt's on the table, and he knew, as soon as Kurt didn't pull away. "Your mother is six feet under. And... you told your father you're gay, didn't you? And he hit you?"

Kurt whimpered. Was he really so transparent? There was a long silence. "Yes," he whispered. His lower lip quivered, and tears began to well in his eyes.

Blaine swung himself over the table to Kurt's side, wrapping an arm around his shoulders and pulling him close. "Hey, sh, sh... it's okay. You can... you can stay with me and my family, it's okay... we won't... we can't hurt you."

Kurt cried into his shoulder for a solid minute, then looked up into his eyes. Blaine moved in to kiss him, but was pushed away. "You have a _girl_friend. Your parents are probably _homo_phobic. You _basically cheated on me." _He let out a little huffing sound, and stood up. "Thank you for the offer, you're very kind, but I need to manage my own problems. I'm seventeen, I can book into a hotel-"

Blaine stood up and kissed him. He kissed him gently, but fiercely. "I'm completely yours at heart. Girlfriend or not. My parents know I'm gay - they're fine with it. I can't excuse myself, but... I never stopped l-"

"You don't love me. You're infatuated with me, and I'm infatuated with you. You kissed me, made me _like_ you. You held my hand. You made me think we were together, and then you went and got a girlfriend, even though you are _safely out to your parents. _You don't... we don't fit, Blaine. No matter how temporarily or long term, I can't stay with you, and-"

"You need a place to stay, and I'm your friend. I'm not suggesting we... get married. I'm suggesting you stay with my family, just for one night if that's what you want, because you... you need someone to be here for you, and I want to be that person. I don't need to be the person that you kiss and cuddle and hold hands with. I need to be the person that keeps you safe."

"I'm almost an adult, I don't need a baby-sitter."

Blaine traced his right jugular vein with a fingertip. "Kurt... _please. _Just one night. Or until you feel safe to... do something different." Kurt whispered something onto Blaine's traveling fingers. "What was that?" the boy coaxed gently.

"Okay. I'll stay with you... for one night. Just one."

Blaine took his hand and kissed his palm very gently, "Excellent," he whispered.

O .About A Boy. O

Kurt spent the whole night and morning crying, but as soon as it hit six a.m. he was fully composed, hair-neatened, clothes a little wrinkled, and eyes dry. He crept downstairs at three past six, just trying to avoid having to interact with the Anderson family. "You don't have to go. You can have breakfast, have a shower, borrow some clothes, take some paracetamol! Whatever you need, Kurt," Blaine said as he made his way towards the door.

He sighed. "What I need is to go home, and get my things, before moving, temporarily, into a hotel. You... you took advantage of my state last night, and I'm not going to let that happen again. _Thank you_ for your hospitality, Blaine, but I have to go." Blaine kissed him, yet again. It was a needy, clingy kiss, that begged him to stay. Kurt reached out to cup the boy's face in his hand, kissing back for just a moment before he pulled back and rubbing a little circle into Blaine's cheek with his thumb. "We can't keep doing this," was his whisper. "You have a girlfriend. You're cheating on her, and we're not together. In any sense of the word. Or we aren't anymore."

"K-Kurt..."

"Goodbye, Blaine."


	5. Chapter 5

"Kurt," Burt whispered as Kurt came in the door. He was seated right in the front hall, eyes red and puffy, face drawn with sleep. "Kurt, oh my god. Where have you _been?"_

"With my... with my boyfriend," Kurt lied. It wasn't smooth - not fully believable, but it worked for what he wanted. His heart was still aching from so many things, but he just wanted to feel safe again. So, he needed to mend things with his father, so, he needed to see how his father would react to him being actively gay. "I needed _someone_ to make me feel safe..."

"Kurt, I'm so sorry... you have no idea... I was so scared, and I was just... I don't... I _love you_, Kurt, more than anyone in the world. I only... did what I did because I was _scared. _If you come out of the closet, you're going to get so much shit, you might get hurt, _we_ might get hurt, and I can't live knowing that it's something that you _chose-_"

Kurt's face was blank, but for his eyes. "You think I chose this? You think I chose to be labeled as 'wrong' and 'sick' by the world around me before I even understood what it was to be gay? You think that I _chose_ to be _told_ that I was gay, and consequentially shoved into lockers and walls, get spat on, get called names...? You really think I would choose this...?" Burt looked dumbfounded, and, very absently, shook his head. "Then get your head out of the ground and look at the signs. Mum knew I was gay when I was _eight years old. _You should have, too."

Burt just kept shaking his head.

"I came to get my things. I'll leave you and your homophobia in peace."

"_I_ don't think there's anything wrong with being gay, Kurt! I think it's wrong how people treat being gay, but that's how they treat it, and it could get you _killed!"_

"When have you cared for the past _eight years?_ I have been getting _shoved_, _insulted, harassed, spat on, and told I was a sick freak of nature ever since the seniors in my primary school figured out what 'gay' was!"_ He was shouting. He was out of breath. He was angry, scared, and sad all at the same time. "When did you care, dad? When did you ask where I was getting my bruises from? When did you ask why I was crying myself to sleep every night?" he whispered. "Dad, I mean it, I'm leaving as soon as I have my clothing. I'll come back in a few days, _if I feel safe with you at all."_ He ran past his father, down into the basement and his room. He almost doubled over, close to tears, close to sobbing... he hurt everywhere, in so many ways. He didn't know why everything had to be so _unfair _and _cruel._

Still, he stood up straight, dabbed his eyes with his sleeve, and pulled a duffle bag down from his top shelf. Carefully, he folded all of his favourite and most practical clothes into tiny little shapes and placed them inside the bag. His hands shook as he went to take a framed photo of his mother. "Am I doing the right thing, mummy?" he asked quietly. The photo version of his mother just stared into his eyes, fun-loving smile on her lips. "I'll take that as a 'maybe...'" He held back tears and tucked the photo into the side-pocket of his bag.

O . About A Boy . O

Kurt took the liberty of a shower the moment he was booked into the hotel. He rinsed away, or more, tried to, all the feelings of filth and mistrust, not to mention the mud and rain-water. He heated that he had to share a bathroom with two other people, but at least he _had_ a bathroom to use. As he rinsed everything away, he let himself relax. "I heard that you've settled down: that you've found a girl, and you're married now..." he sang quietly. As he continued to sing, the volume built up until he was belting.

"Oi, Hummel! Keep it in Glee!" It was Noah. Noah Puckerman was basically his next-door neighbour. "Get out of the shower, I need to talk to you." Kurt froze, and switched off the water. He began to shake immediately. Noah wasn't known for physical violence, but he was known for giving people a very rough time. He wrapped his towel around his waist, and obeyed, coming out into the bathroom.

"Yes, Noah?" He tried to hold his voice steady.

"You and Blaine aren't cousins, are you?" the other teenager asked, eyebrows raised and arms across his chest. He looked so threatening... Kurt cowered.

"Who gave you that idea?" Kurt tried to scoff, but the other boy was giving him a look and was bugging him. "Can you get out? I'm not dressed!"

Noah held his hands up in surrender. "Hey, it's not anything I haven't seen before... I didn't mean it like that... Whatever, man. What are you even doing here?"

That was all it took for Kurt to break down and tell the mohawk'd boy everything, starting from the very beginning when he first met Blaine to coming out to his father, to how he ended up clad in only a scraggly hotel towel in the middle of a room with a tacky color scheme.

"Look, I don't get 'the gay way' and I don't get you or Blaine at all. But just imagining a girl in your position, I'd imagine it sucks. Like, a lot. And... I'm sorry, I guess, about your dad. My father's a prick, too. You're pretty strong for getting out of there. I admire that."

Kurt nodded, trying not to be offended at being compared to a girl... yet again. "Just... thank you for listening, and at least trying to understand, and... and just being here." Kurt sobbed into Puck's shoulder as the other boy patted his back awkwardly.

"Any time, dude. You're pretty cool. And you've probably got the best voice in Glee next to mine... No homo or anything about any of this, though. Like, seriously, you look and sound just like a chick, but I can sort of see you're a dude, these days. Amazing how getting a guy into your pants turned you into more of a man."

The pale boy just decided on ignoring him and continued to cry.

"Look, I have to get back to my room now. My little sis' is probably worried about me. We can chill after school some time. Uh..." He stood and looked awkwardly around the room. "See you at school, I guess. Go get dressed in your... Alexis Mcdragqueen, or whatever."

Kurt wiped at his eyes and smiled. "Thank you, Noah. It's Alexander McQueen."

"Don't let anyone hear you call me that! It's Puckasaurus in public, got it?"

The brunette boy just let out a small laugh and nodded. "Sure, Noah."

"By the way, man... you should sing that song in Glee this afternoon. It sounded really good. You know, for a guy soprano."

"I'm a countertenor, Noah, but... thank you. I think I will." He smiled and gave the boy a very awkward hug.

O. About A Boy .O

That afternoon in Glee, Kurt seated himself on the edge of the piano, smiling a little ironically as he belted out 'Someone Like You.' Blaine was staring at his hand as it was in Quinn's lap, obviously very uncomfortable. The rest of the group ranged between exceedingly bored (Santana) to completely involved (Tina and Mercedes). Mister Schuester seemed almost as uncomfortable as Blaine. He had made it clear that he didn't appreciate boys singing girl's songs, or vice versa. He was a hypocrite, and everyone but Brittany seemed to know it.

Moments after Kurt had finished, Quinn _pushed him_ off the edge of the piano to take a seat there herself. "Blaine and I have prepared a duet... personally, I think the song doesn't fit very well, but Blaine just loves it so much... Anyway, this is a 'first break-up' song." She trailed off, and the younger boy smiled a little, and took her hand. He gave Kurt an apologetic look, and got a glare in return. Blaine whimpered a little, and Quinn pulled him close.

Puck let out an audible growl. Whether it was because of the Quinn/Blaine relationship or the mistreatment of Kurt, no-one knew, but he was... pretty angry. Quinn began in that nasally voice of hers 'Candles' by Hey Monday. Blaine joined her in soft harmonies that she completely overpowered, and Kurt almost winced as they came to the climax of the song. He wasn't the only one.

"Oh, so Fabray's tone-deaf and Andersoon's a suck-up?" Santana asked. Kurt chuckled and nodded.

"Sounds about right..." he murmured to her.

Santana snorted and nodded, and very tentatively, Puck wrapped his arm around the back of Kurt's chair. The brunette gave him a small smile and allowed himself to zone out as Quinn and Blaine finished their song. "Talk to him," Noah ordered into his ear as people began to clear out of the room.

Kurt sighed. "I'm not even sure what I'd say to him. He's probably off to make out with Quinn after this anyways." He moved to pick up all his stuff and leave, but Noah's stern look stopped him.

Quinn was, indeed, burying her head in Blaine's shoulder, arms tight around him. "Go on, then, I'll try to separate them..." he said to the mohawk'd boy.

When Puck left, it was only the 'charming' couple, and the 'gay cousin' left in the room.

There was the small, choked off sound of a sob, and Kurt's eyes widened, because when Quinn looked up, tears were trickling down her cheeks. His heart ached for her as she hid herself away in Blaine's form. "Wh-what's wrong?"

"I-it's none of your business, Casper," Quinn choked out, pulling Blaine closer, tight as tourniquets.

"Hey, no, he's trying to help..." Blaine murmured, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "He's been a good friend to me, Quinn, be nice."

Quinn sniffed. "That doesn't mean I have to tell him things like I have an obligation to. What are you still doing here anyway?" She finally turned to face Kurt as she wiped at her eyes and tried to bring back her ice queen façade.

"I wanted to practice a song for next lesson," Kurt lied. "If you would like, you can have your sobfest elsewhere."

"Both of you! Treat each other with a bit of respect. Or I'm leaving. Can't you just... Quinn's upset because she feels like people hate her, Kurt, and Quinn, Kurt's here because he wants to talk to me about his dad."

The brunette boy flinched. "That wasn't something of yours to tell, Blaine."

"Well, you asked something about Quinn, I answered. You have her weakness, she has yours. Now you can be friends, right?"

"You wouldn't know my weakness if it hit you," Kurt snapped. "Quinn, I'm sorry, but your pity party has to stop. Everybody loves you except for those you treat like shit, such as the rest of us Glee clubbers. Santana insults everyone, get over it. Just... realize you have a lot more than a lot of people. You have a home, two parents, food, water, love, and a boyfriend. Just... god, Quinn. You're selfish." He shook his head, picked up his bag, and left the room abruptly.

"No, Kurt. Wait." The blue-eyed boy froze at the sound of Quinn's voice.

"What?" he asked, a bit hesitant.

"I-I'm sorry. I just," she sighed. "It's really hard for me to let people in. I know I tend to take things for granted," Kurt let out a small scoff, "but I mean well. No matter how _perfect_ my life seems to be, there's always going to be a huge part of it that's absolute hell. So fine. Let me in on your demons, just let it all out. Just do what you need to do. I already have people that can't stand me... and I would hate to have you added to that list."

Kurt bit his lower lip and walked over to the couple. "My dad basically kicked me out for being gay. What's your deal? I _don't_ let people in - I can't, else I get hurt. So I guess we have that in common, but... really, Quinn, what's wrong?"

Blaine looked so proud, he might have burst.

Quinn just shook her head. "Fine. I don't have it as bad as you do. That doesn't mean I don't have issues."

"What _are_ your issues, though, Quinn? Believe it or not, _this_ ice queen wants to help you."

"Thank you, Kurt..." Blaine whispered. Kurt scoffed.

"I have depression, okay?" She finally exploded. "I don't even know how to deal with it. No one wants to help me! I hardly ever get to feel anything, and when I do I'm drowning in all these emotions that I can't sort out. So I'm sorry! I'm sorry I can't be all sunshine and rainbows. I'm sorry." Quinn ran a hand through her hair and looked as though she were about to run from the room.

Blaine slid his hand down her arm and into her hand. "We want to help, Quinn. No matter what it takes," he swore. "Right, Kurt?"

Kurt hesitated, before nodding rather fervently. "Yes. No matter what it takes. I know what depression's like, Quinn."

She gave a weak smile. "Thanks, guys. Kurt, I'm... Really sorry. For everything. I'll do my best to be there for you, too."

"Thank you, boo. May I call you that? It's what I call my girlfriends, so..."

"You're so gay," she said through a and Kurt both gave her a look. "It's a good thing. And yes. Yes, you can call me 'boo.'" She sighed once her laughter died down,and rested her head on Blaine's shoulder. "Could... could one of you drive me home? Please? I'm meant to walk, but I just..."

Kurt nodded, pulling his keys from his pocket. "Blaine doesn't drive. Right, Blaine?"

"Right."


	6. Chapter 6

"Kurt," Blaine murmured as soon as Quinn left the car. "Puck told me earlier. He says you're living in a hotel, and I... I care about you too much to let that continue. Please. Please just stay with my family." He rest his hand on Kurt's on the gearstick. The brunette boy shook a little and shook his head, but he couldn't bring himself to shake Blaine off.

"I can't," he whispered back. "I have my pride."

"It won't hurt your pride to take refuge from a semi-abusive father, with a friend and his family. Or it shouldn't, anyway."

"For God's sake, Blaine!" Kurt cried, tears springing quite unexpectedly to his eyes. "Just drop it!"

Blaine went wide-eyed and looked down. "Okay," was his whispered response.

* * *

"Noah! I know you're in there!" Kurt called as he knocked for the millionth time, tears still streaming down his face. "Please."

A sigh could be heard from the other side of the door, just before it was flung open. "What is it-?" Puck paused, grabbed Kurt by the collar, and pulled him inside.

"It's just... Ugh. It's Blaine. And you! You need to fix this because this is YOUR fault!" The pale boy gave a weak shove against the other boy's chest. "Why would you tell him?! It's not his fucking business!"

Puck was completely wide-eyed, holding his hands up in front of him for self defence. "Hummel, you need to calm down," he said quietly. "What did I tell him, exactly?"

Kurt crossed his arms over his chest in defiance. "You told him I've been living here. Why would you, _how_ could you? You know what, it's not even _your_ business! I thought I could trust you, Noah. You're the only friend I have right now and you actually seem to give a damn. But don't you dare bring Blaine into anything that has to do with me. _ever_."

"Hey, hush," Noah ordered. "He knew. Or something. I dunno, man, he just came up to me during lunch and was all like 'hey man, do you know where Kurt's been staying?' and it was really obvious that he knew you weren't at home, so!" Puck threw his arms up above his head. "Excuse me for telling the truth."

The chestnut-haired boy rolled his eyes and kept his tense stance. "That's _definitely_ enough of a reason to tell him where I am. I didn't want him to know for a reason, Noah. I don't need his stupid sympathy or pity. I wouldn't be associated with him at all if it were up to me, really. In case you haven't noticed, I'm trying to cut myself off from him. Now that he knows, it's going to be ten times harder. So thank you."

"That doesn't mean he needs to know all this stuff about me!" Kurt closed his eyes and rubbed at his temples, feeling a migraine coming on. "Look, I get this is your way of helping. If that's how it's going to be... Don't. I don't want anyone, especially Blaine, knowing what's going on in my life when they didn't seem to even care in the first place." He gave a sigh and leaned against the wall, tired of pretty much everything.

"He told me he's _in love with you_!" Puck cried. He clamped his hand over his mouth immediately. "He's in love with you," he whispered after a few moments. "And I really believe him."

Kurt stared at him for a few moments. "What?"

"He's in love with you."

"No, he isn't. He's with Quinn. He made it very obvious that... Whatever we had didn't mean as much to him as it did to me."

Puck sighed and pulled Kurt into his arms. "She's his beard," he said quietly. "I could see it even before I saw you two together. He doesn't love her."

"Even then, don't you think the least he could is acknowledge it, if it's true, rather than just confusing me with all these mixed signals." Kurt let out another heavy sigh and allowed himself to rest his head against Noah's shoulder. "I'm so sick of this, but for some reason I just can't seem to let him go."

"You need to focus on you, dude, cheesy as it is. You're letting him control your whole presence, and it's killing you. Work on your dad and shit. Don't... don't let him hurt you anymore than he accidentally has."

"It's not like I can forget about him so easily! He's always there somehow," Kurt let out a huff and pulled away after a few moments to sit down. "Don't even get me started on my dad. I'm not sure how that's going to go, if I choose to even do anything about it at all."

Puck sighed. "Dunno what to say, Kurt. Just... want to watch some cartoons with my little sis' and I? See if it calms you down a bit?"

Kurt nodded and smiled a little, tired to trying to fight.

For the next few weeks, Puck and Kurt maintained a stable friendship, Kurt visiting their hotel room to play with Sarah, Puck's sister, or to have surprisingly significant conversations with the man himself. At the same time, his friendship with Quinn was blossoming. "You've got me so much better, Kurt," the blonde woman said as she slid her hand through Kurt's arm. "I feel... wow, almost good," she said. They had just come back from an early-morning mani-pedi, in which they made quips about people's outfits and laughed at jokes only two ice queens would understand.

"I'm glad, Quinn. Really," he smiled at her and pulled her in for a quick hug. "So, I think we should go out to lunch. Or do something. This is the first time anyone's wanted to just hang out with me and stuff, so... Might as well make the best of it," he let out a nervous chuckle.

Quinn laughed and leaned up to kiss his cheek. "I can't today, honey. Date with the boy-toy." She laughed at her own joke, but it was so derogatory using the term 'boy-toy,' especially when trying to be affectionate.

Kurt's small smile became minuscule for a moment before he plastered a bigger one on his face. "Right. Some other time then, I guess. I uh... Hopefully you guys have a great time doing... Whatever you're doing. Er..." He looked around and tried to think of how to make things less awkward.

She giggled and kissed his other cheek. "Thanks, Cutie-Kurtie." She waved and left him alone in the middle of the corridor. Later that day Kurt walked into the choir room humming, his hopes set high for singing 'Defying Gravity' in Glee.

He froze as soon as he looked up.

Blaine had Quinn propped up against the piano, both arms around her and their lips joined in between them.

He was in so much shock he didn't realize he was staring until he had ended up dropping his binder with a loud clatter, papers flying everywhere. He couldn't even get himself to move once the couple had broken apart at the ruckus.

"Kurt-" Blaine whispered. "I can-" 'Explain' was the word on the tip of his tongue, but he silenced himself before he put his relationship with Quinn in jeopardy.

"No, it's okay," Kurt said weakly, voice cracking at the last word. He began scrambling to gather his things. "I'm really sorry for interrupting, I'll just..." He tried to stop it, but he knew the tears were falling as he quickly ran out.

He immediately went to find Puck, who pushed him away. He would explain later that it was because he was in front of his team-mates, but that didn't mean that it didn't add to Kurt's pain.

The brunette boy huddled up in the library, headphones jammed on at the loudest volume as he listened to every 'angry and hurt' song he could find. Then? It hit him. 'Defying Gravity' was old news, for him. He needed something new, something shocking - and he had found it.

* * *

Kurt's hand shot the air. "Mister Schue'?"

"Yes, Kurt?" the man asked hesitantly, running a hand through his curly hair.

"I have a song I would like to perform. It's about the first time someone betrayed you," he said sharply, rising to his feet.

The teacher just nodded,again looking a little bewildered.

"This is 'Lying' by Panic! at the Disco," Kurt said, hand on his hip. He looked quite the image, with his deep red leather jacket, painted-black nails, and dark-wash jeans. "As rehearsed," he said to the bass player. "One, two, one two three four! Is it still me that makes you sweat?" 'Oh wow,' was the synonymous thought of the group. 'He actually has a lower register.' "Am I who you think about in bed, when the lights are dim and your hands are shaking as you're sliding off her dress?"

Mister Schuester didn't dare stop him.

Blaine was having conflicting feelings. There was the part of him that was really, really attracted to Kurt at the moment (who was he kidding, that's pretty much all the time) and another part of him that felt utter guilt. He ran a hand down his face and watched Kurt's performance with mixed emotions playing on his face, though guilt won majority.

It ended up with Kurt spinning Puck around the room in a rather teasing manner, letting himself be cradled to Puck's chest for just a moment before being shoved away as he tore into the final chorus. "Thank you," he said with a mocking bow in Blaine's direction. With that, he walked out of the room, his eyes for once, completely dry.

He drove straight 'home,' where he changed out of his grungy, oh-so-unlike-him outfit, and slipped into one of his usual fluffy jumpers. "Sarah?" he called against the door of Puck's room. "It's Kurt. Would you let me in, sweetie?"

"What's the code?" the little girl demanded to know. Kurt smiled a small smile as he spoke,

"Knock, knock!"

"Who's there?"

"Doctor!"

"Doctor Who?"

"Doctor You-Know-Who!"

The door swung open, and Kurt found himself with a bundle of little girl in his arms. "Hey, cutie," he said quietly. "How ya doing?"

"Really, really good!" She didn't know enough about manners and the such to ask in return. "Would you braid my hair?" she asked excitedly. She pulled him over to the fold-out couch, where her Barbie dolls were lined up in alphabetical order.

"Sure, Sarah," Kurt said with a laugh. He felt free. For the first time in a long time, he felt free. He hadn't looked at Blaine closely, but he was sure he had been crying. Now he knew how it felt... or something like it. He sat down on the edge of the couch as Sarah pulled out her rainbow hair-ties, and indicated for her to sit on his lap. "Okay, do you want a braid or a plait, Sarah?"

"Braid, braid, braid!"

"You sound like a zombie!" he teased. "'Brains, brains, brains!'" She squealed and squirmed in his lap as her little protest, just as the door opened.

"Dude, you're not... that's not cool," Puck was muttering to someone. That someone looked up at Kurt with wide hazel eyes, and bit his lower lip hard enough to make it bleed. "Kurt, don't run," the mohawk'd boy ordered. "He just wants to talk. Sarah and I will be here the whole time."

Kurt's hands shook, but he continued to braid Sarah's hair, biting his own lip and staring up at Blaine. "You can't do anything more to hurt me, Blaine."

"I don't want to," the raven-haired boy whispered. "I just want to... apologize. For everything."

"Yeah? Well it's too late. You have a girlfriend who is head-over-heels in love with you and happens to be one of my best friends. And you... you've done too much already. I want you to leave me alone."

"Too bad, Kurt, because I... I morally can't... I don't want to leave you with the thought that I don't-"

"Please don't say it," Kurt said in a choked-off tone of voice. "You don't, please don't say have Quinn, you have your popularity, and your fu- bloody talent, you don't need me."

"But I do!" Blaine said. He walked to Kurt's side, and Sarah jumped off of the boy's lap to run into Puck's arms. She looked a little scared. "I do need you, even if I don't love you... yet. I... I love everything you do, Kurt, whether it be musical or otherwise, you make me... you make me feel like there's a point to living. No-one else has done that for me." He fell to his knees and took Kurt's shaking hands into his own. "Please, Kurt. Believe me."

"Even if I did, it wouldn't change anything. You're still going to 'go home to' Quinn, and I'll just be left on the side hurting every moment I'm not with you. I would be the 'other man,' and I can't live with that," Kurt said calmly. The only sign that he felt anything _was_ the shaking of his hands.

Blaine looked down and pressed his forehead to Kurt's hands. "Then be my friend. Be my best friend. Just know that... that you mean the world to me. And that I need to help you stop hurting!" Kurt remained silent,biting his lower lip. Blaine looked up at him imploringly. "I'll leave Quinn. It doesn't..."

"I can't ask you to do that, Blaine," the brunette said, voice finally cracking. "You... you have the world at your fingertips, and Quinn is part of that. If you... if you were 'with' me, then your life, your opportunities, would be ruined."

"Then let me break up with Quinn and keep us a secret!"

"Who says I want a relationship with you, Blaine?" He shook his head slowly. "You haven't proven to be the most stable partner... I can... I can..." He swallowed the lump in his throat. "I can be your friend. Nothing more. And you have to promise me that you won't try anything. No more... no more kisses. No more hugs. Just platonic friends."

"I don't..."

"That's all you get, Blaine. You can't break Quinn's heart, but you can't play with me, either."

Blaine sighed in defeat, though he eventually let a small smile grace his face. "As long as I have you in my life. I just... Can't think of not being able to talk to you anymore."

Kurt nodded. "Please get up," he murmured. "You can... you can watch Barbie movies with Sarah and I, or you can go home, or something, just please don't kneel for me."

The hazel-eyed boy stood immediately. "Right. Um..." He avoided Kurt's eyes. "I'd love to hang out with you guys, if that's okay. I don't want to intrude on your guys' thing..."

Kurt smiled at him, a little shakily. He was biting back the sting of tears. "Good, hanging out is... good."

* * *

Over the next days, Kurt and Blaine began a tentative friendship. Blaine would sit with the Glee-clubbers at lunch, with his arm around Quinn, but his attention on Kurt, and Kurt would sit with the Cheerios and jocks in Glee and listen to them chatter on about sports.

"Want to come clothes-shopping with me? I need an expert, and, well..." Blaine indicated his purely designer outfit. "Please?"

"Like I could ever turn down clothes-shopping!" Kurt sent a hesitant smile Blaine's way. "Quinn coming along with us?"

"No, just us," Blaine said with a soft smile. "I actually... yeah, she's..." He tried to put his feelings into words, but it didn't quite work.

Kurt just nodded, not really sure what Blaine was trying to say, but going along with it anyways. "Mmkay. Just let me know when and where."

"The Lima plaza, this afternoon at four?"

"That works," Kurt replied after sorting through his agenda mentally. "As long as I get back around seven thirty-eightish. I told Sarah I'd finish reading bedtime story tonight."

"You really love that girl, don't you?" Blaine asked. He itched to take Kurt's hand, but he knew he wasn't allowed to. He knew he couldn't. "Don't answer that, I know you do!" He laughed a little. "How are... how are things with your dad?" The blue-eyed boy gave a shrug. He was in an okay mood, he didn't really want that to be ruined. "Drop the subject?" Blaine asked. When Kurt nodded, he nodded back, and patted the brunette's shoulder. Later that afternoon, the two were in the middle of the plaza, having just gotten milkshakes. "How are you, Kurt? Honestly..?"

"I'm all right." He gave a noncommittal shrug. "I mean, I'm... Content, I guess you could say? I don't want things to be like this forever, but it's okay for right now." He gave a tiny smile. "How about you?"

Blaine wrapped his arms around Kurt's shoulders and squeezed, just gently. "I'm... I'm quite good. I'm... regretting a lot." He paused. "Oh! Want to see a movie? There are reruns of the Harry Potter series on in the cinema, Quinn tells me!"

"I... don't think that's such a good idea."

Blaine visibly deflated in his excitement, but still smiled and nodded. "'Kay."

* * *

Blaine did everything he could for Kurt. He held open doors for him, sat with him at lunch, laughed at his jokes, and walked with him to avoid the jocks. Yet Kurt... was cold. He was living up to his title of 'ice queen,' and it was killing Blaine. It took a month or so for him to snap. "What is your problem with me?"

Kurt just rolled his eyes and walked a bit faster. "Not sure what you're talking about."

Blaine slid his hand into Kurt's and tugged him back into an empty classroom. "You said friends. I'm being your friend, but you're not being mine."

Instinctively, Kurt wretched his hand out of Blaine's. He avoided the other boy's eyes. "Yes I am. Look, I get that you know exactly what this is for you, and... Just never mind. This is stupid. _you're_ being stupid." He turned to leave.

"Why... Kurt, I've told you how sorry I am, but I still... I just... please, please open up for me. Just be honest with me, and be your fucking self, instead of hiding behind this stupid persona that you've built up!"

"Yeah, well, what if you just end up being like everyone else I've ever let in, huh?" Kurt immediately turned back around to glare at Blaine. "What if I let you in again only for me to be hurt even more? You can promise as much as you want that it'll never happen again, but it's not going to work out that way."

"Live in the moment, for fuck's sake, Kurt!" Blaine cried. "Maybe, one day, I will _accidentally_ hurt you, but you need to get that stick out of your arse and realize that you only live once, and you should take the friends you get!" It was so rare for Blaine to explode in such a manner that he was shocked with himself, clasping a hand over his mouth.

"That's so easy for you to say when you can do that and not have to suffer through consequences that hurt like hell," Kurt spat through a clenched jaw.

"You think I haven't been hurt, Kurt? You really think that?" Blaine spat right back. He started unbuttoning his shirt, hands shaking.

Eventually he got it off over his head, revealing pale scars all over his torso.

Tears began steadily streaming down Kurt's cheeks, but he didn't allow himself to say anything.

"Look at these, Kurt, and tell me I haven't been hurt. Tell me I didn't fight," Blaine ordered. "I told myself I would keep fighting for my right to love who I love, and I got these. So I came here, wanting to start anew, only to find that it's just as bad as it was in Westerville here! So call me _selfish_, Kurt, accuse me of being a lying _bastard_. Call me a _fag_ and _shove me away_ for all I care, because all I want is to be safe! I... I want to be happy, too, but the one person who is good at making me happy seems to think I'm wrong, and sick, and bad, and soulless, for just wanting to be safe and loved!"

His breathing was heavy.

Kurt was silent. Then? "I don't think any of those things about you, Blaine," he whispered. He walked, brisk as he could be, to Blaine's side and pulled the boy into his arms. "I think you're... sad as it is, you're my best friend," he murmured into his hair. "And I think you're amazing." Blaine let out a quiet sob and wrapped both arms around Kurt's waist, burying his face into the crook of his friend's shoulder. "And I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. You hurt me, so I cut you off, and I... I just tried to hurt you, even more." He lifted Blaine and placed him down on the edge of a desk. He pulled back and kissed his cheekbone. "But that's going to change, okay? I'm just... it'll be hard, but I will try to be better to you. Okay?"

"Okay." Blaine smiled and moved to kiss him, but found a finger on his lips.

"Nu-uh."

Blaine pouted.

Kurt sighed and pulled away. "Our deal was friends, and no more, Blainey. Remember?"

"Yes, sir... Can I... will you come to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows tomorrow? Please? Quinn hates it, and..." Blaine smiled. "you're my best friend, too."

Kurt smiled right back, and moved away. "I would love to." He grabbed one of Blaine's hands. "Come on, we've got class."

* * *

Kurt cracked some joke about the royal wedding, but Blaine didn't laugh. He was just staring. Staring at the teenager who sipped his coffee so casually, whose eyes shone through everything. "What is it?" Kurt asked.

"You're so fucking cute," Blaine said with a slightly raised eyebrow.

Kurt's cheeks heated up until they were a soft shade of pink. He turned his head to the side. "Thank you," he whispered, and somehow, it seemed more perfect as they were than it had ever been before. There was still angst, anger, jealousy and feelings of betrayal, but it felt safe. It felt right.

Things could only get better.

(Unless, of course, Kurt was on a bad day.)

"What's up with you today?" Kurt asked as Blaine danced around his bedroom.

"It's almost Valentine's," Blaine chirped back. "And I, my dear Kurt, want to sing a song with you!"

"And what song might that be?" Kurt asked curiously, tilting to his head to the side as he continued to follow the other boy with his eyes.

"We _have_ to do something from 'Wicked'!" Blaine took each of Kurt's hands, pulled him to his feet, and spun him around before dipping him down. "'As Long As You're Mine,' perhaps?"

"Whoa there," Kurt exclaimed as he tried to regain his balance. "Lovely choice, I have to say. Very... wow. Um, romantic."

Blaine twined their fingers together as he held him steady. "We can dedicate it to other people, if you insist! But God knows Quinn couldn't sing it. You'd sound perfect!"

The chestnut-haired boy allowed himself to blush lightly. "Well, I'd have to dedicate it to..." Kurt gnawed on his bottom lip gently to try and appear as though he were dreamily in love.

"Puck?" Blaine suggested. "Or... or you could just be singing it for..." Blaine stumbled and bit his lip, too. "for... Quinn, with me."

"No, actually," Kurt dimpled adorably, "I forgot that I've never mentioned Sebastian." AKA the guy that usually occupied the room next to him with whoever he brought that night, the sleaze bag that invited him over many times with many innuendoes as they bumped into each other on the way to their rooms one day. But Blaine didn't need to know that.

Blaine tensed. "Who's... who's Sebastian?"

"He's this guy I met the other day," Kurt shrugged, but continued to smile dreamily. "He's..." He gave a soft sigh. "he's amazing, Blaine."

Blaine looked like a kicked puppy. He let go of Kurt's hand. He pressed the fake-call button on the phone in his pocket, and got it immediately. "Mum? Hey, okay... yeah, yeah, I can tell him." He slammed the phone shut. "Mum says you should go now. Dinner party with the Fabrays." His face was blank.

Kurt pulled Blaine in for a tight hug. "See you later, I guess. Let me know when you want to rehearse!" he exclaimed as he made his way out the door. As cruel as it was, Kurt was satisfied.

Blaine bit his lower lip and felt tears well in his eyes. No matter what he said, he had fucked up, and it was one of the biggest regrets of his life. Now there was a new man, a new hope, a new status, a new everything, and all he wanted was the beginning again.

* * *

'Meet me in the auditorium to rehearse? At lunch?' Blaine text to Kurt in the middle of English.

'See you then!' Kurt replied quickly.

Blaine paused. 'How's Sebastian? Are you asking him out for Valentine's Day?'

'I might. He probably doesn't feel the same, though, so...'

'...I don't understand you... Whatever. I need to get my grades up, apparently, so... see you.' Blaine was nibbling his lip, and he winced when Quinn took his hand with concern in her eyes.

'Okay then...?' Kurt rolled his eyes and put away his phone. He'd deal with moody Blaine later.

* * *

Blaine walked into the auditorium to find Kurt already there, lounging back in one of the director's chairs. "I've got the backing track in basically every key," Blaine said loudly. He _wanted_ to shock Kurt, wanted to give him a fright.

Kurt would deny everything, but he jumped a tiny bit in his seat. "Wonderful!"

"Take your pick," Blaine ordered, holding out a CD. "I was thinking A minor, but it's up to you..."

Blaine ran, well, pranced, down to the stage, and inserted the C.D. into the huge sound system. "Sir," he said with an extravagant hand gesture, offering the stage to his partner.

Kurt raised his eyebrows, and got to his feet. He placed his hand on the rail before him, and stared down at Blaine. "Kiss me too fiercely, hold me too tight..." he ordered.

Blaine held out his hands for Kurt on the stage, reaching up as if praising him as he continued to sing. There was a challenge in both of their eyes. Blaine wanted Kurt to take everything back, come back to him... Kurt just wanted to see if Blaine would actually care.

The brunette trailed his hand down the rail as he walked, eyes locked on Blaine's.

Blaine slid his hand into Kurt's guiding him up onto the stage. "And just for this moment... as long as you're mine I've lost all resistance and crossed some borderline!" Kurt sang to him. His hands were cradled to Blaine's chest.

The brunette boy? Well, his eyes jolted wide open when he felt how fast his partner's heart was racing.

At the end of the chorus, oblivious to Kurt's shock, Blaine began to pace around the stage, gesticulating out all of his emotions. Kurt's breath was heavy. All he could feel was Blaine's eyes following him, as they circled each other. Blaine rushed to the centre of the stage, placed his hands on his hips and lifted him up high into the air, before bringing him back down into his arms. Kurt was shocked, but didn't flinch, didn't cry out. He just let Blaine hold him. "And just for this moment," they sang together. "as long as you're mine, I'll wake up my body - and make up for lost time!"

"They say there's no future... for us as a pair..." Blaine sang quietly, his forehead meeting Kurt's.

The brunette boy was rendered utterly breathless.

He could feel Blaine's breath ghosting over his lips, and all he could do was hold onto Blaine's arms and look the only place he was allowed: into those shining golden eyes.

He missed his queue completely, but as his mind raced, he whispered against Blaine's breath, "And though I may know... I don't care."

Their lips met.

Their lips met, and suddenly, the world was perfect once more. Suddenly, everything was right.

They clung to each other as their lips parted and their tongues tangled, and Kurt's hands came to cup Blaine's face.

"I'm so in love with you," Blaine whispered as they pulled away for breath.

"Ditto," Kurt breathed. His eyes were shining with tears, and Blaine just kissed him once more.

Somehow, they ended up laying on the floor, cradled in each others' arms as they kissed, slow and leisurely. They were so caught up in each other, they couldn't have possibly seen the figure in the back of the auditorium.


	7. Chapter 7

_Please don't 'hate' on this chapter - we/I realize it is unrealistic in some ways, but we/I use our creative license whenever required._

_**TRIGGER WARNINGS FOR SUICIDE, AND MAJOR CHARACTER DEATH.**_

Kurt was happy, curled up in Blaine's arms. He had his head on the other boy's bare chest, his ear pressed up against his heavily beating heart. "I love you," he said quietly.

"I love you," Blaine echoed, slipping his fingers through Kurt's utterly tangled locks. "I... Kurt, you have no idea how sorry I am. For everything, I just-"

"Blaine!" his mother cried from downstairs. "Hurry, fuck, Blaine! Get dressed and get down here!"

"What is it?" Blaine yelled back. Kurt got off of him and sat on the edge of the bed. He stretched out for a few moments before pulling his t-shirt back on. Before he could stand, Blaine's arms were around him and a kiss was being placed to the back of his neck.

"It's Quinn!"

Blaine froze and disentangled himself from Kurt. He pulled his shirt on backwards and inside out, shoved his feet back into his shoes and opened the door to sprint downstairs.

A jolt of hurt ran through Kurt's body, but he still followed suit, slightly more slowly. Mister Anderson passed Kurt in the hallway and raised his eyebrows. "Kurt, what are you-?" His eyes widened as he saw his ruffled state. "You, Blaine, Quinn and I are going to sit down and talk," he said quite seriously.

There was a shrill cry from Blaine downstairs, and both his father and boyfriend froze before sprinting downstairs to Blaine's sides, where he had just fallen into his mother's arms, sobbing with quick breaths of one word: 'no.'

"What is it, what's wrong?" Robert asked immediately.

"It's Quinn Fabray," Maria whispered, pressing her lips to her son's forehead. "She killed herself."

There was silence only broken by Blaine's sobs.

Kurt didn't know what to say, and didn't even register the fact that he was crying until Blaine was wiping tears off his cheeks.

Blaine bundled Kurt up in his arms, sobbing into his shoulder, still repeating that one word - 'no, no, no.'

"Boys, I know this is hard, but the Fabrays want to see Blaine. She left a note... well, a video. And she's addressed both of you."

Kurt shook his head. "No, no, I can't! This is all my fault, I shouldn't- I can't have-"

"Shh, Kurt, it's not your fault," Blaine attempted to soothe the blue-eyed boy through his own tears. "If it's anyone's really, it's mine. You were nothing but kind to her." He pulled Kurt even closer.

It was scaring Kurt, how calm Blaine was. How he seemed to not feel himself, how all he wanted was for Kurt himself to not hurt. Kurt sniffled. "We need to be strong," he said quietly. "It's... it's not our fault that Quinn was depressed, but... we need to stay strong, and talk to the Fabrays."

Blaine nodded and pulled back from his boyfriend, wiping away his tears. "Daddy..." He sounded defeated. "Could you drive us, please?"

"Of course, Blaine." The boy broke down into another wave of sobs, his chest heaving from all the difficulty he was having breathing.

The entire ride Kurt continued to hold Blaine close, whether it was to comfort the other boy or keep himself sane, he didn't know. He just brushed back Blaine's curls and whispered softly in his ear no matter how much he'd rather lock himself up and cry.

Blaine was shaking with his sobs, because he -knew-. Of course he knew what had happened. He started scratching at the skin on his right wrist, all the while holding Kurt close to him in the backseat.

Once they were parked in the Fabrays' driveway, Kurt took a deep breath and pressed a quick kiss to Blaine's temple. " You ready?"

"No, but I never will be." There were police cars around them.

"Are you the Andersons?"

"Yes, officer," said Robert. "Are we able to come in?"

"Yes, Mister Anderson. This way. Please don't touch anything in Quinn's room. The Fabrays won't let us see her tape until you do."

Kurt followed close behind, unable to stop his entire body from shaking as they passed by many pictures of Quinn hanging on the walls, family portraits and a few with only her.

The minute that Kurt stepped inside the living room, Mister Fabray was on him, hand raised. A police officer actually -sighed- and pulled him back. "Mister Fabray, do -not- attack Mister Hummel. I will have no choice but to arrest you."

Blaine growled, low in his throat and pulled Kurt closer. "Love, calm down," Mrs Fabray and Mrs Anderson said at the same time to their family members.

Blaine nodded, and Mrs Fabray looked at him as if he was poison. "Don't think for one moment that this isn't your fault," she hissed. "You're only here because Quinn wanted you to be."

"You think Blaine is to blame for all of this?" Kurt exclaimed disbelievingly before he could stop himself.

"No," Mister Fabray said. "I think you are. Now shut up, Hummel." Blaine held Kurt tight, trying not to lash out himself. The man pressed a button on the television, and a video started. Quinn was sitting on her bed, legs crossed and a rope hanging behind her.

Kurt took a deep breath and curled up closer to Blaine. The sight of the blonde was enough to make him burst into tears, but he held it in. She hadn't even started talking yet.

"Hi, mama, dadda, Blaine, Kurt, Mister and Mrs Anderson... I just..." She coughed quietly and pulled a small piece of paper from her pocket. There were tear-tracks down her cheeks. "Earlier this year, I decided... that I was going to get better. And to get better, I... I thought I needed a boy. And when Blaine came along... I thought he was perfect, because... with what I knew about he and Kurt, he couldn't possibly say 'no' to me. I thought that I would just have a piece of arm-candy, but no. Blaine turned out to be one of my best friends. He took care of me. I'm pretty sure he loved me, in some way or other. I certainly love him." She took in a deep breath, and Blaine began to shake violently.

Kurt licked his lips in a nervous habit, and hid his face in the crook of Blaine's neck for a few moments to calm himself down. It seemed as though his air supply was being cut off each time Quinn spoke.

"Blaine was probably the best thing that's ever happened to me." She kept fading in and out of past tense. "He... he made me see the light again, just a little. Then Kurt came in. Kurt, I love you, so much. You are a precious person, and don't let anyone ever make you forget that. Anyway, you two... thank you. please don't blame yourselves for any of this, because it really isn't your fault. It's mine. I had... I had built up this future in my head, that kept me hanging on, and now that it's gone..." She swallowed loudly. "I give all my luck to you two. I hope you find a way to... to get by in such a cruel world. But I need to... I can't keep going. I was living a fantasy, and I have to thank you again for... for snapping me out of it." She just breathed for several long minutes, in which Blaine tried to hold himself back from sobbing.

It was getting harder for Kurt to breathe, and tears were now past the point of blinking away. Face still hidden, he blindly moved his hand to cup Blaine's face and rub soothingly at his cheek and jaw.

Blaine kissed the side of his head instinctively, his eyes still on he screen. "Mum, dad, I love you. I love you more than the whole world, but I can't keep going like this. Loving others, relying on others, hating myself, and hating them as soon as things don't go my way. It has to stop." She sighed. "Blaine's favourite movie is 'Moulin Rouge.' The greatest quote I've ever heard in my life is 'the greatest thing you'll ever learn is to love, and be loved in return.' I have never heard anything so true... but I never learned either of those things. Not in a healthy way, anyway. I don't want to live like I am, now, so I have to end it. Please don't cry for me. Don't mourn. Don't... don't let my lack of life ruin your lives. You are such amazing people, with such bright futures, and I was only holding you back. Please try... try to believe me." She blew a kiss to them. "I love you," she whispered. "So I really do have to let you go." She paused. "Goodbye," was her last, choked off word.

Kurt continued to stay silent.

"Now get out," the Fabray woman ordered.

Mrs Anderson wrapped an arm around Blaine's waist. "Come on, honey..." He shook his head nonsensically.

"She's really gone?" he asked. His grip on Kurt's waist was becoming painful.

"She is," Kurt whispered brokenly, finally realizing it himself as soon as he said the words.

Blaine didn't speak again. He just pulled away from both his mother and lover, and walked out of the house, hunched over a little.  
Mrs Anderson took Kurt's hand into her own.

"I... what do we do?" Kurt asked helplessly, unsure of what he was even referring to.

"I think it's... it's best if you go home, Kurt," she murmured. "We love you, but Blaine needs some time, we need some time, and you do, too."

Kurt nodded hesitantly. "Can I say bye to him first?" Blaine stopped in his tracks - he had been listening. He turned on his heel and opened his arms for Kurt. "I love you," Kurt whispered against his neck once he pulled Blaine into his arms. "Take care, okay? Call or text me if you need anything."

"I love you, too," Blaine choked out. He pulled away, only to cup Kurt's face in his palms and kiss him tenderly. "The same goes to you, okay? call or text, or... scream at the sky, and I'll be there." He tried to smile. He tried. Kurt returned a weak smile of his own and chastely kissed Blaine once more. Eventually found the strength to pull away.

"I love you," Blaine whispered again.

"I love you, too." With a kiss blown Blaine's way, Kurt walked to his car and eventually drove away.


End file.
